A clean and well-equipped OR, featuring an adjustable stainless steel exam table, anesthesia machine, IV fluid pump, vital signs monitor, and overhead surgical light. This is as an example of a simple design feature that supports the learning environment. Photo courtesy Jamie Morgan A well-designed veterinary operating room is essential for patient safety, successful surgical procedures, and workflow efficiency. Veterinary externship students (both veterinary and veterinary technicians) are becoming a mainstay at many practices today. Clinics that serve as externship sites play a vital role in meeting high standards of care and supporting educational goals. Further, these facilities must ensure they comply with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA) guidelines. The dual purpose OR: Treatment and teaching Clinics that host externs must be mindful of maintaining a fully functional surgical suite and creating an environment that fosters effective learning. The OR is traditionally a high-stakes, high-efficiency zone where sterility, precision, and timeliness are priorities. However, when students—whether veterinary or veterinary technicians—enter the picture, the OR becomes a shared space of treatment and training. At its core, the OR must support safe and successful surgical outcomes for our patients. This includes: Maintaining an unobstructed traffic flow for sterile and nonsterile procedures. Functional layout for easy access to equipment, anesthesia machines, suction, and monitoring systems. Strict sterility protocols, which cannot be compromised by student presence and participation. Efficient communication, especially in emergency situations. Clinics must adapt their design and workflow to enhance educational access to successfully turn the OR into a dual-purpose space. This can be accomplished by providing additional space to accommodate observers or assistants without compromising sterility. This may mean slightly wider rooms or a thoughtful layout of the surgical table and equipment. An OR with glass walls provides an outside view and helps promote student observation and learning. Photo courtesy Jamie Morgan Additional considerations would include defining roles for students, such as anesthetic monitoring, charting, or assisting the surgeon. It is important for the surgeon to master the teaching aspects of explaining steps, showing anatomy, and asking/answering questions when appropriate. Surgical teams need to be both proficient and prepared to engage with learners while keeping the clinic flow optimal. Some design features that support learning and comprehension include: Glass viewing panels or mounted cameras that allow those outside the OR to observe and learn without risking contamination. Color-coded or labeled instruments to help students learn names and uses quickly. Documentation aids such as surgical checklists, anesthesia charts, or procedure posters to reinforce comprehension. Essentially, when a clinic hosts externs, the OR becomes more than a workspace–it becomes a learning lab. Facilities that proactively design and operate the ORs with this in mind are far better suited to meet not only the expectations of the students, but also the AVMA CVTEA. CVTEA standards: What are they really looking for in an OR? When a clinic is being considered for hosting externs, focus is placed on that clinic providing functional, safe equipment, standards of cleanliness, opportunities for structured learning, and a productive environment. CVTEA identifies the gold standard as those clinics where students are guided through hands-on skill development and comprehension in real clinical cases. While clinics must meet certain CVTEA standards to serve as externship sites, the responsibility falls to the veterinary or veterinary technology program to evaluate and approve each site to ensure it supports the required learning outcomes and essential skills recognized and required by CVTEA. Some of the parameters examined in the OR include: OR is separate from other areas of the hospital. Anesthesia machines are operational, have been serviced recently, and pass a safety leak check. The anesthetic vaporizer has been serviced and calibrated recently. Isoflurane or sevoflurane is being utilized as an anesthetic inhalant. Monitoring equipment (pulse oximeter, capnometer, ECG, blood pressure monitor) is present and operational. A variety of basic surgical instruments are available and sterilized appropriately. OR has a designated, adjustable surgical table and appropriate lighting. Resuscitation equipment (crash cart, resuscitation bag) is available and operational. Safety and PPE compliance. Above all, CVTEA and the program affiliates are not just evaluating the space–they are evaluating the clinic’s role as an educational partner. With easy-to-clean work surfaces and walls, clutter is kept to a minimum in the OR.This area is ready to provide safe and sterile care for patients. Photo courtesy Jamie Morgan Features that impress evaluators and support learning The AVMA CVTEA does not require flashy renovations or “state-of-the-art” design and features, but they do look for thoughtful OR spaces that create a teaching-friendly clinical environment. Here are some things evaluators tend to notice–and appreciate: Defined sterile and non-sterile zones that are marked by barriers, signage, or floor lines. Limited entry points to control contamination risk. Logical and functional placement of equipment, supplies, and staff in the OR that promote smooth patient movement. Adjustable lighting and surgical tables that ensure students can see and assist comfortably. Uncluttered layout that allows externs to position themselves safely without disrupting the sterile field. Using clearly labeled drawers and shelves for surgical instruments and supplies. Having a dedicated anesthesia station. Non-slip flooring for safety during long surgical procedures. Climate control and ventilation, especially when using inhalant anesthetics. Common pitfalls that may raise flags during evaluation Even well-meaning clinics with busy surgical caseloads can fall short during an OR evaluation, often not because of poor care or design, but because teaching and CVTEA expectations are not fully addressed or documented. Program site evaluators are trained to look for certain red flags that may indicate a mismatch between the OR experience and program outcomes. Here are some of the most common pitfalls observed during OR evaluations and how to avoid them: Surgical and monitoring equipment is present, but not used or accessible to students. There is no clear student supervision in the OR. Thus, students are present but not actively participating. Inconsistent or poor aseptic practices not only endanger the patient but also undermine the professional examples that externships are meant to provide. Inadequate space or unsafe conditions, which can include a visibly disorganized, overcrowded, or poorly maintained surgical area, especially if student safety is compromised. CVTEA is not looking for perfection—they are looking for intentionality, a safe environment, and structured learning in the OR. When the OR is clean, functional, and staffed by professionals who see students as part of the learning process, even modest operating rooms can be outstanding teaching sites. Jamie Morgan, MAEd, CVT, RVT, CPEP, FFCP, is a veterinary technologist certified in Illinois and North Carolina. She has more than 19 years of teaching experience in American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)-accredited veterinary technology programs.